Major points of difference between traditional soccer shoes and Canterbury of New Zealand rugby boots

When Canterbury of New Zealand designed their rugby boots they looked at the major functions of a rugby player and the specific needs of this athlete. Unlike soccer players, rugby players have no contact with the ball on the ground, unless in broken play (an aspect of the game not important enough to factor into the design.) Kicking is done either from the hand, or from a kicking tee, so the need for the low profile toe-box was also eliminated. The other crucial differences are that soccer players spend a high percentage of their game in direct foot contact with the ball whereas rugby players are primarily runners that carry the ball and tackle.

Traction and leverage are other demands not answered by the soccer boot - particularly in the scrum. Rugby players are also heavier and require a more supportive (though still lightweight) boot.

Research, carried out at a retail level, showed that overall, rugby players, due to their heavier bulk, also had wider, deeper and larger volume feet than soccer players. Because of the nature of the game (particularly scrum and tackle requirements) rugby players also needed more support in the heel area. These issues demanded a total re-think of the traditional structure of the boot.